Howdy howdy! Just a quick post to talk about the one thing I tell people to pack in their hospital bag over and over and over: the heating pad.
That little gem that plugs into an outlet is worth its weight in gold when you’re sitting in a postpartum room with a sweet little babe and cranking out afterpains (contractions after the birth). A heating pad helps with a sore back (from labor…or pregnancy…or an epidural) and it helps with pain too.
You don’t need a fancy one.
Any old one on the Walmart shelf will do nicely.
They help whether you have a cesarean section or a vaginal delivery.
You can also use it during labor too.
And yes, labor and delivery has some heating pads. I call them “break and bake” heating pads. But they usually only last about 30 minutes and don’t always heat up to a therapeutic level. And you never know when the unit might be out of stock.
So do your body a favor and pack a heating pad. I promise you won’t regret it.
After discharge, a heating pad is a lovely item to put in your nursing nook (the spot on the couch or the chair in your living room that you live and nurse a baby in for 6 weeks). Or even just to put in your bed while you are resting. Don’t underestimate the importance of recovery after having a baby.
But do try to remember to pack that sucker in your hospital bag.
I also want to mention rice socks. They are nice too, and will help with soreness, pain, etc. But you do have to get up to reheat them. Etsy makes some cute ones shaped like uteri.
You can choose – function or fancy. Just don’t forget to pack it.
Hugs,
Jamie
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